Duma likely to expand anti-Magnitsky bill application to citizens of non-U.S. countries as well

Dec 18 2012

RBTH

Interfax

The Russian State Duma is likely to support an amendment to a bill retaliating against the U.S. Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act of 2012 so that the Russian legislation apply not only to U.S. citizens, but also citizens of other countries responsible for abusing the rights of Russian citizens, sources at the Duma told Interfax on Tuesday.

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Mikhail Starshinov, a first deputy head of the State Duma committee for nationalities' affairs, on Tuesday submitted an amendment to the legislation titled 'On Measures Affecting Individuals Responsible for Violating Fundamental Human Rights and Freedoms and Rights and Freedoms of Citizens of the Russian Federation' expanding the effect of this bill, which was originally meant to be applied only to U.S. citizens.

Starshinov told Interfax his amendment presumes that the law would be applied to "citizens of countries who have decided to deny entrance to Russian citizens and freeze assets of Russian citizens on the motive of Russian citizens' responsibility for human rights abuses."

Duma sources told Interfax that the committee on constitutional legislation is willing to recommend that this amendment be adopted. The bill should be considered at the second reading on Wednesday.